What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Pilot, Mr. George darnell stated in his statement, him and his friend Mr. Manuel iraola, departed tamiami airport at approximately 0945 hours, enroute to punta gorda, charlotte county, Florida, to have his aircraft engine oil change. At approximately half way to punta gorda at 4500 feet AGL, he noticed a slight vibration in the motor, noted fuel consumption was 15.7 gallon per hour, instead of a normal 12.5 gallon per hour. He said that it seemed to exhibit the same characteristics of a partial plugged fuel injector he experienced in the past. Shortly thereafter, the motor quit with no abrupt or prop seizure. He immediately placed aircraft into proper glide speed, 88 KIAS, descended approximately 600 feet per minutes and looked for a terrain to land. He tried to restart the engine three times but had no success. He tried to land at Immokalee airport, but then quickly realized he was not going to make it, so he elected to land in a recently plowed potato field. Upon impact with the ground, aircraft landing gears separated from fuselage, left wing inboard leading edge severely damaged with damaged spar. Mr. Darnell and passenger sustained minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) PILOT, MR. GEORGE DARNELL STATED IN HIS STATEMENT, HIM AND HIS FRIEND MR. MANUEL IRAOLA, DEPARTED TAMIAMI AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 0945 HOURS, ENROUTE TO PUNTA GORDA, CHARLOTTE COUNTY, FLORIDA, TO HAVE HIS AIRCRAFT ENGINE OIL CHANGE. AT APPROXIMATELY HALF WAY TO PUNTA GORDA AT 4500 FEET AGL, HE NOTICED A SLIGHT VIBRATION IN THE MOTOR, NOTED FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS 15.7 GALLON PER HOUR, INSTEAD OF A NORMAL 12.5 GALLON PER HOUR. HE SAID THAT IT SEEMED TO EXHIBIT THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS OF A PARTIAL PLUGGED FUEL INJECTOR HE EXPERIENCED IN THE PAST. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE MOTOR QUIT WITH NO ABRUPT OR PROP SEIZURE. HE IMMEDIATELY PLACED AIRCRAFT INTO PROPER GLIDE SPEED, 88 KIAS, DESCENDED APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET PER MINUTES AND LOOKED FOR A TERRAIN TO LAND. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE THREE TIMES BUT HAD NO SUCCESS. HE TRIED TO LAND AT IMMOKALEE AIRPORT, BUT THEN QUICKLY REALIZED HE WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE IT, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A RECENTLY PLOWED POTATO FIELD. UPON IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, AIRCRAFT LANDING GEARS SEPARATED FROM FUSELAGE, LEFT WING INBOARD LEADING EDGE SEVERELY DAMAGED WITH DAMAGED SPAR. MR. DARNELL AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.